


Better Off Vega

by TiernyWho



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Fluff, POV Alternating, Smut, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-25
Updated: 2013-12-25
Packaged: 2018-01-06 03:59:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1102144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TiernyWho/pseuds/TiernyWho
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post ME-3, Destroy.  </p>
<p>Vega and Shepard have a casual relationship which is working and they are okay with it. Point of view alters between the two.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Better Off Vega

“Shepard, I thought you promised to stay in bed all weekend with me and only get up for bathroom breaks, showers and food. No working.” He only called her Shepard now in front of others or when he was admonishing her.

 

Lifting her gaze above the counter she smirked a little. “It's not working I promise, just need to make sure the best damn looking marine goes back to training with some clean underwear and socks.”

 

“I could have got a service to do that you know.”

 

She seemed skeptical seeing as how the last time he had a break in his N7 training all the things he meant to do never happened. They had spent too much time indulging and not doing all the things on his list.

 

“Uh-huh. You said that the last time and it never got done. If I remember correctly you got a rather nasty nickname the last time you went back.”

 

He just grumbled under his breath, but she knew her reasoning was right and he wouldn't stay mad at her for long.

 

“Besides while you were snoring away I got a chance to get some breakfast started and requisition you some more clothes.”

 

“More clothes? Why?”

 

Stepping around the counter she ran her fingers over the hem of one of his shirts. The thing was huge on her, but fell just at mid-thigh which was enough of an attention grabber from the looks she got.

 

“I'm thinking of keeping this one as a personal souvenir.”

 

She swore she could hear the gears in his head turning, he licked his lips and flexed his muscles she guessed on purpose. He always knew the way to get her attention, it had taken her a little longer to figure out all the things that grabbed his. Looks like she'd have to chalk this one up as a win.

 

“Anything else you want to keep as a souvenir?”

 

“Oh I could think of a couple of things, but breakfast first.”

 

He groaned loudly, “Can't we just skip to dessert?”

 

She maneuvered quickly out of his grasp as she stepped near and batted his hands away. “No. Now come on, no lolly gagging around today we have a tight schedule to keep for today.”

 

He grumbled something in Spanish and she just chuckled being sure to make this a habit the next time they were alone. It had been strange that they had been dating steady for such a long time. She thought she wouldn't have anyone else after Kaidan and their whole approach to whatever they were now had been more then casual. Heck at first she didn't even find him that attractive, sure they flirted and laughed at bad jokes but that had been it. He wasn't really her type, muscles, cocky attitude, that annoying smirk. Then she wasn't sure when something switched in her head. She stopped looking at him as just a comrade and more like someone she wanted to throw to the floor and have rough, hot sex with. Getting him on board or more over the fact of who she was had been tough. And to be honest she thought they had their moment the night of her party. Then he showed up in her cabin the night before the strike on the Illusive Man's base. Neither of them questioned it, they didn't put a label to it because someone was likely going to die – she nearly came close a second time.

 

There was also the long separation after she destroyed the Reapers. She wasn't sure where they stood when they finally reunited at least not until he pulled her tight in front of some brass and kissed her roughly. Then she knew, but neither of them put anything to words. There was still a lot of the galaxy left to mend, she was still a soldier and a Spectre and he still had a due date to become an N7. Neither had been an easy journey, but four years in they were still together even though now distance and their own careers seemed to be more in the way.

 

Moving to the small stove she told him to sit while watching him move in his boxer briefs from the corner of her eyes. She'd be lying if she didn't find him nearly naked hot as all hell. Some of the muscle mass had been chipped away thanks to the rigors of N7 training, but she found this fitter, slightly trimmed version more to her satisfaction. It certainly left him in bed more, as the need to keep up his usual fitness regime shifted with this new physique. He was still huge, still towered over her and his bulk made her look like a small child in comparison. It was something she liked to exploit when he was around, lulled the enemy into a false sense of security that she couldn't wipe the floor with their asses until she did the thing they thought impossible and left them bewildered.

 

She supposed he also had an effect on her. Made her learn to cook for one thing, too many mornings and nights being pampered with some real home cooking or as close to home as they could get given the circumstances and it was hard to go back. Sure she got teased a lot on her first few forays, felt discouraged, but she pushed forward wanting to see the look on his face when she cooked a meal that spoke volumes of how she felt. Plus the lavished attention afterward was quite a motivator to do better. Plating the food she moved around the small kitchen area and dropped the food in front of him.

 

“Is this-?”

 

“Had to adjust for some ingredients not being available but yes, your famed abuela's heuvos rancheros.”

 

“Lola.” She saw him look down to the plate, wide eyed with surprise. He picked up the fork and pushed the food on his plate. She watched him tentatively praying everything was as good as it could be. Even with all her connections she couldn't will certain crops of fruits and vegetables to be in season or even back to peak condition after the Reaper destruction. Slowly he brought up a mouth full and she sat almost on the edge of her seat waiting. She had watched him cook this a dozen times if not more, she loved watching him cook – it was a soft side not may saw but she noticed his attention to detail, the way he tasted to see if he got the spices right.

 

When the first moan came from his lips she dug into her own plate. She learned more then cooking from him, but the Spanish lessons were as slow to catch on as her rehab had been after the destruction of the Reapers. It had only been her stubborn will that had kept her moving and the feel of a certain marine's lips on her neck, chest and other areas that spurned her forward. But the aches were getting worse, she knew she had never healed right after the Citadel, sooner or later she'd have to put down the gun and that day seemed to be lurching forward quickly. Her glory days were done and maybe it was best. Admiral Hackett knew she was near the end too, they had been having long talks about what was next for her. She'd hate to leave the Normandy, but almost everyone else had moved off to do their own thing maybe it was time for her to do the same. She just wondered what that would mean for her relationship with the man across the table. He still had a lot of good years left and a good career ahead barring any injury. But for now she would take the pleased look on his lips and in his eyes.

 

They ate in relative silence, breaking the meal with idle chatter about the weather. Maybe they would finally get outside and to a beach, although, by the look James gave her she had her doubts. He had two days left in his leave before heading back for his final rounds of training, if it was anything like she remembered he could be out of commission for several months if not longer. She hated the distance, but it was all their relationship knew and they made it work.  Usually it was only texted words as video chat was hard to do with several soldiers all around him. But she knew just like her career eventually they would have to put to words whatever this was. Once he was graduated from N7 training she told herself, but she had said the same thing when she saw him for the first time after destroying the Reapers. Maybe it was time to choke down her fear and just rip the band-aid off, let him know the truth and see what happened from there. A hand rubbed along her knee and it took her a full second to realize James had scooted closer after he wolfed down his breakfast.

 

“How about a little after breakfast workout?” His hand skirted higher up her leg and she could see his eyes devouring her in his shirt noting that she wasn't wearing a bra by the way her nipples perked and tightened at the shift of his hand.

 

Instead she playfully smacked his hand. “And let you out of dishes. Ha, in your dreams Vega.”

 

The buzzer for the dryer went off. “Come on. We have a schedule to keep.”

 

Pushing up, she saw his dejected look but was on a mission to get something on his to-do list actually done. Placing her plate by the sink she slipped down the corridor humming to herself. Doing menial tasks was nice and kept her mind on the present and not where her mind liked to wander. Sometimes it was fond memories and other times the war or her death came roaring up like bad phantoms she couldn't chase away. Moving items out of the dryer, she switched clothes from the washer and restarted the dryer again. Fingers wrapped around the newly dried clothes, soaking in a bit of the warmth even though outside is was likely just as hot.  Being in the climate controlled house though meant not having to worry too much about the heat. It also meant they were spoiled for her being able to snag such a nice place given the circumstances.

 

Her mind was in a place of thought after finishing folding and without knowing what the thought was when a meaty hand caressed her shoulder.

 

“I'm almost -”

 

The sentence died when she felt a hand circle over her hip and wrap around her waist. Hot breath was at her left ear as he pushed the strands of hair from her neck. The simple brush of fingers against her neck burned a hot stroke of desire down her back. She could feel herself throbbing between her legs, the moistness blooming at just a simple touch. When his lips touched her neck the urging to stick to a schedule slipped out from her grasp. Her body sank back to meet his as the hand at her waist slipped low and began to skirt along the edge of the shirt, his other hand slipped along her side and brushed at the edge of her breast. Damn him, but he knew what she liked and it was hard to deny him.

 

Lips and tongue slid up and down the back of her neck sending more shivers down her spine. Every part of her ached for him to touch her more, to kiss her more. The thick fingers played at the edge of the shirt, brushing along her panties and filling her with a desperate need. She moaned lightly, her hips reacting to the playful banter around her panties the way they brushed and toyed at the edge and stroked down once or twice. Behind her she could feel his own arousal against her hip and she wondered how long he had been like that.

 

The hand at her breast lingered up and over, palming the rising nipple before pinching it gently and receiving a breath of surprise from her. Her hips brushed against him roughly, starting a slow rhythm as they stood dry humping each other. Fingers slipped beneath the band of her panties and she shifted her legs to give him better access. She could feel her own slickness before the first finger teased along her clit and dived lower. Wrapping her own hand behind her she slipped it into his boxer briefs and quickly found his awaiting erection. Pushing her hand down , she heard his grunt of desire. For a while they continued the awkward dance, his erection in her hands, his fingers dipping in and out of her awaiting wetness.

 

Then the hand that wasn't trapped down her panties, that roved over her curves, passing delicate touches at the curve of her waist and fondling her breasts when he felt they didn't get their fair share of attention moved down to the edge of her hips and panties. Hooking his thumb around the band she felt him tug a bit trying to leverage her out of the garment without moving his hand that was continually stroking down and setting her knees weak. Using her free hand that wasn't stroking his erection she helped pushed her panties down until they slipped to the floor. Her hips lifted and swayed backing against her hand and his erection.

 

His free hand now slipped under his shirt that she wore and began the circuit back up through her body. Nothing felt as grand as her skin against his, her moans at his touch, the look of her eyes when she came apart in his hands. He could feel her getting close at each stroke of his hand and he couldn't be sure if it was the angle or just the sudden turn from dry humping to working her with his hands but she moaned at bit louder, the need dripping in her voice. He hated she was still wearing an article of clothing, they were supposed to spend his free days laying around naked, even if she said he should go on some of the tours with her and see the sights. He didn't care to see the sights, he wanted to be here with his Lola fucking her until she couldn't walk a straight line.

 

Last time he had seen her in the flesh was nearly six months ago. He had received intermittent leaves during those six months, he supposed he was lucky he was on leave for the right time she was in orbit. Video chat was always hard with people lingering around and the sometimes radio silence. They had been through longer separations before, back when it was just a fledgling relationship of blowing off steam and fooling around. He had a tough time seeing beyond the Commander, but that night at her party. Dios had it been hot. He was the right amount of buzzed too that when she came up asking him how he was feeling he felt no inhibitions in going for a once in a lifetime night. But it hadn't been once. He went back and back again. Sometimes they could take their time, other times it was a quick fuck before strapping on armour and heading into hell. London had been like that before their first long separation. It had been rough and quick, he wished now he took longer but they had barely enough time as it was before heading toward the Reaper.

 

These days he preferred to savour, to make her squirm and cry under his hands. They didn't get a lot of time together now with his N7 training and her running across the galaxy with Spectre and Alliance business. The Reapers were dead and she was still cleaning up the mess. He saw the toll it was taking on her when they were together, the fitful sleeping pattern, the tired look in her eyes. Last time she had been here he was half tempted to beg her to hang it all up. But he didn't know what she would do without the Alliance and being a Spectre, being who she was was her life. Could she move on? Maybe he just man up and put a ring on it, but he knew she didn't need a ring to know he was hers and vice versa.

 

Grunting under her hand he felt her push his underwear down and just like her panties they fell to the floor freeing him from their tighter confines. Now all he needed to do was get the damn shirt off her, even if it did make her look kinda hot. Her slick, wetness only told him how long she had been desiring him. He wondered what time she got up at to make food and do his laundry. One of these days he was going to have to – sweet mother of- . She shifted him a little and maneuvered her own body so that his length was square between her thighs. The wetness from her lips sliding up and down his length as she bucked against him. Her moaning becoming a bit louder the more he slipped and slid along her opening. She always did enjoy being teased and played with, but it was too much he needed to be in her now.

 

Grabbing at the tee shirt he pulled it off quickly making the last barrier between them disappear. With a quick heft he positioned her over the counter watching as her feet had just enough clearance to touch before he pushed right into. She was so warm, wet and tight. Didn't matter they had been screwing like a bunch of horny rabbits since he walked in the door, she was always so tight for him, so eagerly awaiting. Damn did he love her.

 

Her first moan came across low, heated. Pulling back out slowly he watched her back arch and her hands plant on the counter. He doubted being plastered on the counter was comfortable, but then he remembered the way she rode him on the living room floor suffering through rug burn just to make a point of how much she missed him. Grabbing some near by towels he scooped them up and helped give her a bit of a cushion, wasn't much but she giggled at the offer and made herself more comfortable as well as wagging her hips to and fro enticing him back into her.

 

The strokes were long, slow, fluid. Each deepening the moan as he fingered her clit. Usually they were always facing each other but he had to admit there was something alluring about this position that he made a point of trying in bed later. When he slipped out he heard her groan in displeasure and slid along her opening just to hear her keen and beg. She was beautiful, he should tell her, tell her everything and just let her know whatever she wanted he'd go for. Wedding, a quick joined union, he would say yes to it all and if he could spend his days under her command and never too far he'd be a happy man.

 

Sliding back in he rode her slowly, listening to her hitch and her hips wiggle against his. The pace quickened and her moans turned to joyous cries until he felt her tense and her tightness wrapped roughly around his length. It was enough to send him over the edge and his pace quickened until he had spent himself inside her. Eventually she found her footing and he pulled himself free of her even though all he wished to do was to watch her come apart again and again under his ministrations.

 

“Hmm looks like I need to do some more laundry.” She chuckled lightly righting herself.

 

“First I think you need a shower.” He roped his arms around her and began kissing her tenderly while pushing her to the bathroom. She'd likely clean up their mess later but for now he wanted to taste the sweat on her breasts and fill her until she screamed his name.

 

* * *

 

 

**Three Months Later**

 

“Surprise!!”

The lights of the small kitchen where they had shared breakfast, lunches, dinners and other moments turned on and the group of people all crammed in the space sent him through a loop. She had him going for the whole night. When he gotten through his graduation and base parties she had asked if they could go out to eat. At first he thought someone would jump out from the darkened house, but no one did and he thought it was a ploy to get him away, but then he thought maybe the gang was at the restaurant waiting for him to surprise him there. But then she took super long in the bathroom, came back looking weary and said she wasn't feeling so good. They ate their food in relative silence and he wondered if she had planned anything at all.

 

So when they got back to the house, the place still silent with no figures he could see he resigned that maybe she hadn't talked to anyone, hadn't planned anything at all. Now shaking hands with Wrex, Garrus, Cortez, the grin on her face he knew he had been played all along. The Commander – no she was an Admiral now had pulled the wool over his eyes and he fell for it. Drinks were poured and everyone was eager to hear how his N7 training went, some wondered what his next assignment might be now that he had graduated. He didn't know the answer to his next assignment, where it might be – he had made his feelings clear to Hackett but whether anyone would listen was a different scenario.

 

Even with the company around all patting him on the back pouring shots he watched her from the corner of his eye. She always moved about making sure everyone had enough to eat or drink. Sometimes she would come by and he would slip his arm around her waist and kiss her. But for the most part she let him have his lime light, she let the uncertain future between them rest he had at least two days of leave before they shipped him out, maybe during that time he could say all he ever wanted to say to her.

 

Through the haze of booze and chatter he heard odd comments, people whispering conspiratorially and often gesturing when he looked their way. He had a feeling there was another surprise Lola had planned but as the night wore on, the party guests retired to the free rooms available or left, the surprise seemed to be fleeting as well. Again he found her arms wrapped around him, the room at that nice state of bliss and feeling a little looser with his tongue then usual.

 

“Lola.”

 

“James, how are you feeling?”

 

“Good. Really good. In fact...” He leaned forward and kissed her slowly on the lips as his hands roved over her body. “Can we take this to our bedroom if you haven't rented it out?”

 

She chuckled. “That we can do, besides I need you in private anyway I have something to tell you.”

 

He didn't like the way she said that or odd look in her eyes as they moved to their room. Of course the second they were beyond the threshold of their room he started kissing her as his hands tried to brush away all the clothes between them.

 

“James.” She sighed between heated breaths. He loved the way she said his name.

 

“James wait. James stop.” She pushed him hard enough away he looked at her confused and bewildered. Maybe he shouldn't have drank so much, sometimes he got a little handsy and lost himself in the moment. Last thing he needed to do was hurt her on his first night free before being torn from her again.

 

“Sorry Lola.” He walked over to the bed and sat down.

 

She sighed but sat down next to him. “Well it's not like I don't want to, but well I thought I should let you know something before we continue. Something that might change a few things between us.”

 

He didn't like where this was going, he knew the long distance had been tough, he felt the strain to want to be near her as much as she did. When he saw Hackett at his N7 graduation he had pretty much begged the man to let him back onto the Normandy. He knew the regs frowned upon it, but damn it all if he didn't say it then they might as well let it be silent. Hackett never gave any commitments just said he'd see what he could do.

 

Slowly she passed him a sealed envelope, looked like a pen or pointer was in it and a piece of paper. Tearing at the edge he opened the envelope nearly dropping it and its contents twice. Slowly he looked in and saw some grainy photo and a stick with some symbols on it. Looking up he glanced over to her with a question on his face.

 

“Seriously?” She huffed. “I'm – I'm pregnant.”

 

The words floored him and he dropped the envelope with the contents onto the floor. Dropping down he grabbed the pen like thing and the photo.

 

“Wait. I thought you know.”

 

“Hmm apparently not. Not since after the Reapers. They couldn't give me the injections while I was rehabilitating and I never went in afterward to start up again.”

 

He was kneeling on the floor with the items clutched in his hand. “You mean that whole time?”

 

“Yep.” She sighed. “Look I know it is a lot to process and I get if you don't want it, but I'm keeping it.” She said the final sentence firmly.

 

He had no words, he hadn't expected this. He figured in a few years more maybe they could work up to the talk if it wasn't too late for her. It wasn't that he never wanted kids, he just never gave it much thought and they had been so casual about everything, but he knew there was a part of him rejoicing now. Reaching over he put the items of the envelope onto the night table.

 

“So are you – okay?” He placed a gentle hand on her knee. She only smiled and put her hand over his.

 

“You won't break me if we go at it like bunnies. Just might need to take it slow.” He loved how she was so calm, this was happening to her and she was just okay, she wasn't flipping out or beating him up.

 

Slowly he shifted his hand up to her belly, she wasn't showing but the act he hoped spoke volumes.

 

“Also I might have yelled at Hackett, told him if he didn't put you under my command I would choke him with the regs. Apparently, they are being re-written.”

 

He chuckled a little. “I love you Lola.”

“Love you too James. Now get up here and kiss me, I have been waiting three months to have you back in my arms.”

 

He obliged her, but took his time unraveling her afraid that at any stroke he might poke the babies eye out or something. Her constant reassurance kept him steady and sure. She still had her career in charge of others but off the battlefield and he had her and the missions ahead. It wasn't perfect but it was the way he liked it.


End file.
